MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings to establish Super Kings Academy

Reigning Indian Premier League (IPL) champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will expand its brand. It will be venturing into the cricket academy sector. It is all set to launch a Super Kings Academy to train cricketers across genders. The academies will initially be opened in Chennai and Salem.

CSK confirmed the initiative by stating that the academies will be functional from April this year. It also adds that the academies will have BCCI-certified coaches, besides learning and possessing training methodology from CSK, along with the franchise's players and support staff. In the meantime, CSK batting coach Michael Hussey termed the initiative as a 'fantastic' one.

ALSO READ: IPL 2022 Mega Auction - Here is why CSK did not bid for Suresh Raina

"I think it's a fantastic initiative, really excited about it. I think this gives opportunities to so many youngsters out there to get access to some great facilities, great coaching and then hopefully improve their game and come up the ranks and then one day, it would be awesome to see several players coming out of these academies playing for CSK in the IPL," said Hussey in the statement.

Meanwhile, CSK bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji noted, "Budding cricketers from various parts of the country will benefit. Over the years, CSK has conducted a lot of junior-level cricket tournaments (Junior Super Kings) with schools across the state. There have been a lot of cricketers who have been sent overseas for exposure."

ALSO READ: IPL 2022 Mega Auction - CSK pays tribute to Suresh Raina as 'Chinna Thala' goes unsold

Balaji feels that in the modern-day, the boundaries of a budding young cricketer should not be restricted to just the top cities. He reckons that a vast country like India has many cricketing talents. He affirmed that CSK Academy's prime objective would be to expose these young cricketers to the cricketing module.